Circle of Sir Peter Lely (Soest, Westphalia 1618-1680 London)

Portrait of Colonel Samuel More (?1594-1662), M.P. for Shropshire, bust-length, in a brown cloak and lace jabot, in a feigned oval

Details

Circle of Sir Peter Lely (Soest, Westphalia 1618-1680 London)
Portrait of Colonel Samuel More (?1594-1662), M.P. for Shropshire, bust-length, in a brown cloak and lace jabot, in a feigned oval
oil on canvas
29 7/8 x 25 ¼ in. (75.9 x 64.1 cm.)
in a contemporary giltwood frame

Provenance

Colonel Samuel More M.P. (?1594-1662) and by descent at Linley Hall, Shropshire, to the present owner.

Exhibited

London, The South Kensington Museum, Exhibition of National Portraits, 13 April-22 August 1868, no. 735 (lent by R. Jasper More, M.P.)

Brought to you by

Katharine Cooke

kcooke@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2343

Lot Essay

Samuel More was a parliamentary army officer, the eldest son of Richard More of Linley in the parish of More, Shropshire. An early arranged marriage in 1616 to his cousin, Katherine More, proved unhappy. Katherine conducted an open affair with Jacob Blakeway, who was condemned for adultery. Samuel and Katherine separated in 1620 and the four children from the marriage - who were declared illegitimate by Samuel - were sent on the Mayflower.
Samuel remarried in 1625 and became deeply involved in the parliamentarian cause, commanding Hopton Castle for a period of time and becoming a leading figure in the region during the civil war. In 1656 he was elected as a member of parliament, and was re-appointed governor of Ludlow in 1660, seeing out his final years at Linley Hall with some considerable debt to his name.

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